Chapter 10 – AgricultureAP Human Geography Mrs. Bellisari

How Do We Classify Economic Activity?Primary Sector (Extractive Sector) (3-5% U.S.) (55% in most peripheral countries)

- Hunting and Gathering- Nomadic (high latitude)- Sedentary (salmon, deer, berries, nuts)- Livestock herding, fishing, lumbering, and forestry- Mining, drilling, quarrying- Farming

o Subsistence – grow for personal consumptiono Commercial – grow for $$

Secondary Sector (20%)Conversion of raw materials into finished productsTertiary Sector (75%)Service industriesConnect producers to consumers Quaternary SectorAnything that deals with information management and capital management Ex. Stock broker, investment banker, lawyers, insuranceQuinary Sectorspheres of research, higher education, high-level decision makers Ex: Pres, CEO, University Professors

Agricultural RevolutionAgriculture = Deliberate modification of earth’s surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals to produce foodEx. Rice and Wheat primary food cropsRevolution = Profound change in the way things are done, usually occurring in a short period of time but leaving long-lasting effectsAgricultural DomesticationCarl Sauer’s Theory – first hearth in SE Asia (Bay of Bengal)Vegetative planting 1st

- Direct cloning from existing plants- Plant stem split = palm and banana trees- Root divided = yam, potato, taro - Ecumene = areas of earth’s surface that have been

permanently settledSeed agriculture comes later (most farmers practice this today)

- Reproduction of plants through sexual fertilization of seedsImpact of Seed Agriculture

1. Increases population dramaticallya. Leads to emigration throughout the rest of the worldb. Social stratification c. Specialization of labor

2. Creation of governments3. Increased competition for land and resources

2nd Agricultural Revolution - (late 16th century-19th century)Began in England- 2nd Stage of DTM – fewer positive checks on population growthMajor Changes in Agriculture:

- Switch to the 4 field system- Enclosure system- Forces peasants off the land - Increases livestock- Mechanization of farming- Successfully marketed iron plough- Steam Engine Tractors- Selective breeding

Effects of 2nd Agricultural Revolution- More food grown to meet demands of

growing population (also causes more population growth)

- Encourages urbanization o Growth of cities (food produced

sent to cities) (primogeniture laws - succession passes from generation to generation)

o Industrial Revolution Colonization

o Huge market for crops- Improvements in transportation

o Steam shipso Railroadso Both help transport farm goods over farther distances

- Subsistence farming Commercial farming/monocultureMonoculture vs. IntertillageCore countries… Have regions with monoculture: - one single crop (and usually 1 species of crop) grown

- Disease can wipe out HUGE food supply (Potato Famine)- Developed colonies with one cash crop, forces peripheral countries to import food

huge debt, must rely on world demand for money, one bad season can destroy the economy

Peripheral countries with INTENSIVE land use, practice intertillage crops grown between other crops

- Depletes nutrients quickly

Imperialism’s Impact on PeripheryBecause of 2nd Agricultural Rev. and Industrial Rev. European countries dominate

- Force colonies to produce cash crops and eliminate subsistence farming

- Indigenous societies unfamiliar with European ideas:- Mostly communal agricultural practices not individual plots- Peripheral countries forced to import food- Creates international debt - Creates dependency on the core (MNCs)- Difficult to end this system (switch to subsistence farming) b/c of debt = “neo-

colonialism” (economic domination of periphery)Ex: Senegal peanuts; Angola coffee; Zimbabwe tobacco; Kenya tea; Sudan coffeeDerwent Whittlesey’s 11 Agricultural RegionsCommercial Gardening and Fruit Farming - ExtensiveDairy Farming – Extensive Grain Farming – Extensive Livestock Ranching – Extensive Mediterranean Farming – Extensive Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming – Extensive Not Wet Rice - Intensive Pastorial Nomadism – ExtensivePlantation FarmingShifting CultivationWet Rice Dominant – Intensive

Types of Subsistence Farming1. Pastoral Nomadism (Pastoralism)(.25% world pop.) – found in deserts of North

Africa, Middle East and Central Asia - Depend primarily on animals for survival NOT crops- Animals provide milk/blood (food), skin (shelter/clothing), and hair (clothing) - Milk traded for grain - Some crops grown on the side by women and children (Sedentary Farming)- Animals usually NOT slaughtered- Size of herd = social class- Select type of animal based on physical and cultural traits - Camel more suited for Middle East- Central Asians prefer horses- Sheep, reindeer, goats, huskies, etc. also used- Cyclical migration patterns- Based on available resources- VERY territorial - Some Nomads practice transhumance - seasonal migration between mountain

pasture (in summer) and lowland pastures (in winter)Future of Pastorial Nomadism

- Less and less pastoral nomads- Conflict with established govt over territory impact of boundaries- Most will eventually lack the necessary land and resources to sustain life

2. Shifting Cultivation (aka “Slash-and-burn, agriculture”) (5% of world pop) – - Farmer cuts down vegetation- Burn the plants for added nutrients to the soil

- Intensively use “SWIDDEN” (cleared land) for a few years (until all the nutrients are gone)

- Then leave land fallow (nothing planted) so soil can recover- Repeat process in a new area - Found mostly in tropics and subtropics (rainforest of SA, Africa, and SE Asia)- Crops grown in concentric circles

o 1st circle = sweet potatoes and yamso Next circles = corn and rice, manioc, and more yamso Last circle = Papaya, banana, pineapple, mango, cotton, beans, etc. (most

fertile nutrients in soil from leaves of trees)- Often uses “Intertillage” (grow between the rows)

Environmental dispute of shifting cultivation– good or bad use of land?- Nutrients depleted from soil VERY quickly- Destroys rainforest global warming- Many peoples moving away from Shifting Agriculture logging, cattle herding,

growing cash crops Intertillage

3 and 4. Intensive Subsistence Farming (wet rice dominant vs. non-wet rice dominant)

- High agricultural density- People maximize labor & expense to increase output on available farm

land = “intensive” (“Extensive” = use of large areas of land to farm with minimum labor and expense)

- “Double cropping” = Obtaining 2 harvest from 1 field in 1 yr. very intensive

3. Wet Rice Dominant (Intensive Subsistence)- Located mostly in Asia (India, Eastern China, SE Asia)- Relies on heavy wet season in summer for rice to grow- Too little rain a problem- Too much rain a problem

Step 1: Plant rice in a dry fieldStep 2: Transplant rice to a flooded field = “sawah” (not “paddy”)Step 3: Harvest rice Step 4: Enjoy a yummy rice dish

Rice- Third major crop in international trade- Major surpluses produced in East and Southeast Asia. Middle East a consumer of

both wheat and rice.

4. Non-Wet-Rice Dominant- Places that are too dry for wet rice… (mostly found in river valleys of Middle East,

Europe and Africa)- Wheat and barley important substitutes- Double cropping used through skilled crop rotation… again, very intensive

5. Plantation Farming- Practiced in LDCs; Owned by MDCs- Plantation = large farm produces 1-2 cash crops (Found in Central America,

Coastal SA, Caribbean Islands)- Ex. Cotton, sugarcane, coffee, rubber, tobacco- Consumed in MDCs due to large demand for goods

Types of Commercial Farming1. Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming- Found in Central Eastern United States, Northwest/Northeast Central Europe - Most $$$ comes from livestock

o Sale of milko Sale of meato Sale of eggs

- Crops o Provide income during harvesto Provide food for livestock

- Spreads workload over the year; provides income throughout the year- Crop rotation very important

Crop Rotation- Needed to maintain fertile soil… changes over time- 5th Century A.D. – 2 field system - One field 4 cereal grain (wheat, oats, barley,

etc.). One field fallow (not used) - 8th Century – 3 fields increases harvest by 17%. One had a winter cereal, One had

a spring cereal, One fallow

- 18th Century – 4 fields increases harvest by 8%. One for a root crop (turnips, potatoes, etc.). One for a “rest crop” (clover) which restores nutrients and provides food for animals. One for a winter cereal. One for a spring cereal

Maize or CornLike wheat, corn moves from a few production areas to a small number of consumption zonesCorn differs from wheat in that most of it is not consumed directly by humansMany industrial uses of corn oil and sweeteners.

2. Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming = “Truck Farming”- U.S. Southeast (mostly Florida)- Sell for human consumption- Consumer vegetables and fruits i.e. apples, asparagus, tomatoes, peaches, lettuce,

etc.- Large processors for canning/freezing (most crops used for this)- Labor costs low use migrant workers & dependent on machinery - Specialty farming in NE = growing high end produce for affluent people (e.g.

asparagus, mushrooms, peppers, organic produce)

3. Dairy farming- Located around large urban areas (Northeast/north Central United States, North

Europe, New Zealand) - “Milkshed”- Originally limited to short distances

o New technology moves milk up to 300 miles awayo Farther away from urban area more likely to sell butter, cheese, etc.

- # of dairy farmers decreasingo Too much worko Too expensive to do

- Output of milk is going up increased yields per cow

4. Grain Farming- Food grown primarily for humans NOT for livestock (Grown for sale to

manufacturers not for immediate consumption)- Wheat very important crop…Winter wheat – planted in fall and harvested in

beginning of summer, Spring wheat – planted in spring and harvested in late summer

- Harvests increasingly mechanizedo 1830s – McCormick reapero Today – Harvesting Combine

- Wheat = world’s leading export crop- North America = “world’s bread basket”

5. Mediterranean Agriculture- Location: Area around Med. Sea, Southern California, SW South Africa, SW Australia- Crops grown for human consumption- Focus on Horticulture

o Horticulture = growing of fruits, vegetables, flowers & tree crops- Grapes and olives most important crops around Med.- Southern California focuses on citrus fruits, tree nuts, and deciduous fruits- Importance of value added – cooking oils, wine

6. Livestock Ranching- Commercial grazing of livestock over a large area (Western United States, high

plains of South America, Central Australia- “Cowboys” used to move livestock closer railroads so they could be transported to

market- Chisholm Trail (Texas to Kansas) most famous route taken- Originally, cattle grazed on open lands- Now, cattle graze in fixed areas (usually land too dry for crops)

Geography of Cattle- Distribution of cattle highly regionalized- Concentration in India results from cultural patterns- Nomadic herding patterns still visible in the geography of cattle.- Ranching areas in colonial zones still visible

Von Thunen’s ModelFocuses on HOW land is used and WHY land is used the way it isFocuses on 3 variables:1. Value of product2. Price of land = “land rent” or “bid rent” (refers to how the price and demand on real estate changes as the distance towards the Central Business District (CBD) increases.) Different land users will compete with one another for land close to the city center.) 3. Transportation – costs and perishability

Assumptions of Von Thunen’s Model

- Uniformity of land (isotropic)

- No government interference

- No obstacles to transportation

- No social factors in choosing the product

Von Thunen’s Model Applicability

- Explained cities during/after 2nd Agricultural Revolution

- Todayo Refrigeration &

Improvements in transportation kill the model’s use in the cities of the core

o Strawberries from California in Atlantao Clementines from Chile

- Rubenstein argues applies to the world as a wholeo “City” replaced by “core”o Rings represent larger distances around the core

- Is it still applicable?Yes = growth of many products coming in from periphery where land values are cheapNo = Government subsidizes farmers so they can compete with peripheral goods, other barriers to trade

Application of Von Thunen’s Model in in the periphery- Can’t afford refrigeration and other preservative technology- Model still applies

Sample FRQ Question about Von Thunen’s Model

With reference to Von Thunenʼs model of agricultural land use which is also known as The Isolated State, answer the following question. Use specific examples wherever appropriate.A. Diagram the model and identify two assumptions made by Von Thunen that may not be true in reality.B. According to the model what two costs must a farmer consider when deciding which crops to cultivate? What is the relationship between distance to market and land use?C. To what extent is the model relevant in more and less developed countries today?

Green RevolutionGoal: End World HungerWhen: Post WWII ----- through 1960sWho: Rockefeller & Ford Foundation & Core. Norman Borlaug – Texas A & MWhere: Mexico, Philliphines, India (to help prevent communism from spreading) How: New “miracle seeds” = Wheat and “Golden Rice”

- HYVs (very prolific), short growing seasons, drought/disease/pest resistant

- Use of modern fertilizer & pesticides- Well construction & Modern pumps- Irrigation methods- Mechanization (tractor…)

Green Revolution: Success or Failure?Negatives: (Malthus)

- Salinization - Top soil loss desertification?- Capital intensive – terminator seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. - Super pests - Run off- Mechanization decreased need for workers- Sustainability??????

Positives: (Boserup)- Positive way to deal with increasing population pressure

- Higher yield crops Esp. the Big Four: Rice, wheat, corn, and potato- Crops that grow in unnatural conditions

3rd Agriculture Revolution(U.S. and Europe mostly –

happening now)1. EXTREME mechanization- Less labor needed (lower costs)- Use of satellite imagery (GIS)- Farm jobs now mostly air-conditioned

2. Chemical farming- Synthetic fertilizers- Pesticides

o To eliminate unwanted, problematic threats to plantso Ex. Herbicides, Fungicides, Insecticideso HUGE environmental effects

3. Refrigeration of meats and veggies- Expands the life of produce- Farmers sell goods to WORLD market

4. Genetically Modified Foods “Frankenfood”- Combining the DNA/Genetic material of different species (GMOs = genetically mod.

organisms)- Ex. Fish DNA combined with tobacco, potato, tomato, etc.- Changing DNA – terminator seeds- All sorts of pro/con debate- Europe has banned many foods- Contrast Selective breeding v. GMFing- Examples of benefits: disease, drought, and pest resistance/prolific yields/added

nutritional value - Patents and R&D make this expensive and agribusinesses therefore dominate

5. Rise of Agribusinesses – Corporate farmingVertical Integration production, storage, processing, distribution, marketing, and retailing

Agribusiness1. agriculture conducted on commercial principles, esp. using advanced technology. an organization engaged in this.2. the group of industries dealing with agricultural produce and services required in farming. Corporate Agribusiness TodayCorporate agribusiness today, from seedling to supermarket, is dominated by such transnational corporate giants as ConAgra, Unilever, Nestle, Philip Morris, RJR Nabisco, Kraft, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland.

6. Globalization and Food Manufacturing- Multinational/Transnational Corporation (MNC/TNC)- Food processing increases value of product Meredith Rocks

o Canning, refining, packaging/packing- Problems:- Leads to decline of subsistence farmers- Leads to capital flight (who controls MNC/TNCs?)- Loss of sovereignty for peripheral countries- No such thing as a “small recall”

7. Biotechnology – using organisms to improve other organisms- Transgenic patents - VERY expensive (patents, R&D)- Agribusinesses dominate industry- New species of crop and animals- Glowing pigs (jelly fish & pigs) - Glowing tobacco (firefly & tobacco)

Aquaculture – Fish FarmingAquaculture -- also known as fish or shellfish farming -- refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.

Food DesertsA food desert is a geographic area where affordable & healthy food is difficult to obtain, particularly for those without access to an automobile.

- Food deserts also exist in rural areas and low-income communities. Some research links them to diet-related health problems in affected populations. Food deserts are sometimes associated with supermarket shortages and food security.